Star of India Pictures

Make your plans to visit this beautiful sailing ship at the San Diego Maritime Museum!

In the slide show above, you're viewing pictures of the Star of India sailing ship at the San Diego Maritime Museum. Located along the lovely Embarcadero, one of San Diego's must-see tourist attractions, you won't be able to miss seeing the graceful Star of India tall ship as you explore this lively waterfront area. But you don't need to be content merely to LOOK at the Star of India---you can come on board! Pace her decks as if you were a sea captain in days of yore. Investigate the lovely wood-paneled area containing the Captain's Quarters and dining room. And head below, to check out the cargo hold and areas which served as home-at-sea to passengers emigrating to new lands of adventure and promise.

This page will be about the Star of India sailing ship...but there are other ships & exhibits to see at the San Diego Maritime Museum, as well. For information about other things to see at the San Diego Maritime Museum, plus other information such as its address and contact information, please visit the San Diego Embarcadero page of this website.

Star of India Fun Facts

If you haven't visited the Star of India yet, you'll be interested to know some fascinating trivia about this ship. Even if you've already been on board this handsome tall ship, perhaps there are some details you didn't realize. For instance...did you know that--

1.) You can have your wedding on the Star of India? It's true; for a fee, you can be married on the deck of the Star of India...near it's handsome helm. The wedding couple can even dress like a sea captain of yore & his bride, if they choose---it's perfectly OK to live out a dream nautical wedding on board the Star of India!

2.) You can spend the night on the Star of India! Yes, there are family sleepover nights held regularly on the Star of India. Guests get to learn and do things aboard ship that regular daytime visitors never get to do! Even school field trips can be held as over-nighters.

3.) Speaking of field trips, did you know that several thousand San Diego school kids visit the Star of India on field trips every year? These field trips teach kids about living and working on the sea in a way that brings this history to life for children. So much of everyone's heritage depends on sea trade & travel...from the ways our ancestors came to live where they did, to our enjoyment of products from all over the world every day of our lives. Boarding the Star of India makes the world of ship life seem real to students in a way that "regular" classroom study can never do. For some youngsters, the impressions made on their first trip to the Star of India were so bold that they've grown up to blog about it many years later!

4.) The Star of India is the home of the San Diego Maritime Museum's annual Sea Chantey Festival! This event is open to the public; the next festival will be held on May 17, 2009. Get your singing voice ready!

5.) Did you know that the Star of India was originally brought to San Diego by the Zoological Society of San Diego (San Diego Zoo)?? The Star of India could have been the centerpiece of an aquarium or other zoo exhibit if things had turned out differently!

6.) Did you know that the Star of India is both a California State Historical Landmark AND is listed on the USA's register of historic places? If you would like to see for yourself, here's a link to the Star of India's Historical Landmark page of the California State website. If you love the Star of India, this will make you feel very proud!

7.) An amazing fact is that, despite the Star of India's age, the ship's hull, cabins and equipment are nearly 100% original! What an astonishing feat for a vessel nearly 150 years old! This achievement is particularly remarkable since the ship's first 2 voyages were disasters, with extreme damage to the masts.

8.) Did you know that there's something magical about the Star of India that will send your imagination into overdrive? It may have been decades since you daydreamed about being a sea captain or wondered what life was like for your ancestors who voyaged great distances to settle in new lands. But, those very ideas will leap back into your mind after you spend 5 minutes or less aboard the Star of India. Try it & see!

Star of India trivia quiz

Many kids tour the Star of India sailing ship on school field trips.

Were you one of them?

Or did you first climb aboard the Star of India on a family outing?

Either way, do you think you remember very much about what you learned while visiting the Star of India and the San Diego Maritime Museum? Why not try the following Star of India fun quiz and see?

Star of India Quiz

What was the Star of India's original name?

A.) Star of India

B.) Euterpe

C.) Master and Commander

How many masts does the Star of India have?

A.) 2

B.) 3

C.) 4

There's a colorful stripe painted on the outside of the ship. What color is it?

A.) Red

B.) Yellow

C.) Orange

Who got a special cabin near the Captain?

A.) The ship's cook

B.) The ship's lawyer

C.) The ship's surgeon

What year was the Star of India built?

A.) 1776

B.) 1863

C.) 1901

Can the Star of India really sail?

A.) Yes

B.) No

Tall Ship Pictures

If you liked touring the Star of India, maybe you'd like viewing photos of other tall ships.

To your left, you're viewing pictures of tall ships which various members of the Flickr photo-sharing community have taken. Some of the Flickr members have taken some beautiful and interesting shots, as you can tell by these images.

Tall Ships coloring pages

Do you have a child who was recently inspired by a trip to visit the Star of India in San Diego?

If you do, perhaps you'd like to give your child an activity that will help him or her reminisce about the visit. There is an excellent Tall Ships coloring page at www.coloring-pages-book-for-kids-boys.com. Here's a link to that website's Tall Ships Coloring page.

Although there's no picture of the Star of India, you'll find a good selection of pictures of different types of tall ships that you can print at home to color. Note: if you remember from your visit, the Star of India was first a full-rigged sailing ship before being turned into a bark/barque. Coloring pictures of both these 2 types of tall ships are available on that website.

Further information about the Star of India's history

This page has mentioned some fun facts about the Star of India that families and kids planning a visit (or remembering a visit) to the San Diego Maritime Museum might enjoy.

However, the Star of India has a rich and fascinating past that history buffs might enjoy discovering. If so, you may wish to check out the following pages---